It’s officially spring break season, and I am here for it.
As a credit cards writer, my passion for plastic payment methods is matched only, perhaps, by my passion for the travel I often use my cards to enable. So I decided to put together some helpful tips for anyone planning an international spring break trip this year.
I use a credit card for practically every purchase I make, but using cards in a foreign country can come with unpleasant surprises if you aren’t prepared. Unexpected charges can add up quickly — sometimes without even realizing it. And that’s if your card even gets accepted at all.
Here are five credit card mistakes to avoid when traveling abroad for spring break (or any time, really), from paying fees that creep up out of nowhere to ending up with no way to pay at all.
Paying foreign transaction fees
A foreign transaction fee is a surcharge a cardholder pays when using the card at merchants outside the United States. Typically, these fees range from 1 percent to 3 percent, depending on the card. For that reason, it might be a good idea to check the card’s terms and conditions before taking a card on an international trip.
Only bringing a Discover or Amex
The Discover it® Student Cash Back was named one of the best student credit cards in the 2025 Bankrate Awards. Like many other Discover cards, it can be an excellent addition to a college student’s wallet, thanks to the lack of annual fees and stellar rewards rates.
However, a Discover card might not be the best traveling companion, even though the issuer doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. Unfortunately, Discover cards aren’t as widely accepted globally as Visa and Mastercard. That means there’s a higher risk the card will be declined when paying for purchases.
The same goes for American Express cards. An Amex might be a hot commodity, but its worldwide acceptance significantly lags behind Mastercard and Visa.
Using dynamic currency conversion
Foreign transaction fees aren’t the only sneaky charge to watch out for.
Dynamic currency conversion (DCC) lets cardholders handle transactions in their home currency. This can seem convenient — but it also involves a fee. The merchant and the bank both impose markups. Generally, DCC costs the cardholder between 3 percent and 5 percent of the transaction. In some extreme cases, however, this number can be in double digits.
Pulling cash from your credit card
It’s possible to get cash from a credit card, and when traveling, it might seem like a convenient option. In truth, it’s rarely a good idea. In fact, experts agree this should be the last-resort kind of solution.
This type of transaction is called a cash advance. It comes with a separate interest rate, which is usually significantly higher than the card’s purchase APR.
For instance, the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card currently charges an APR of 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable). The cash advance APR, on the other hand, is 29.24% (Variable).
To make matters worse, there’s no grace period for cash advance interest rates, meaning this higher interest rate kicks in immediately.
On top of that, most issuers impose a cash advance fee — typically, 3 percent to 5 percent of the transaction amount.
Relying on just your credit cards
That leads us to the next point: It can be risky to rely solely on credit cards when traveling abroad.
Here in the U.S., we’re used to how easy it is to pay with a credit card almost anywhere. However, that’s not the case in many other countries where merchants might require a fee for card transactions or only accept cash.
The bottom line
Handling credit cards is perhaps the last thing anyone wants to think about on their spring break. Unfortunately, not thinking about it might prove costly. I’d recommend making it a part of the trip preparation to ensure no unpleasant surprises, such as high fees or declined cards, come up during the vacation itself.
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